1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method and an installation for comminuting scrap material. The installation includes a supply device for the scrap material to be comminuted. It also includes a comminution machine with at least one motor-driven rotor, which is horizontally supported in a housing and has comminution tools and drive means, means for controlling the power and means for protecting the installation from scrap material which is difficult to comminute or cannot be comminuted at all, such as coarse, heavy or hard parts
2. Description of the Related Art
Comminution machines for comminuting scrap metal, such as wood, bulky refuse and the like, are known in different embodiments and with different operating characteristics, as disclosed in DE-A-28 19 611, EP-B1-0 203 272, EP-B1-0 768 920, EP-B1-0 930 941 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,863,003. During the actual operation of such machines, in particular, when a supply device is arranged upflow, and therefore of an entire installation, there is always the problem of achieving the projected parameters for the comminution power, since the aforedescribed scrap materials contain certain fractions which are difficult to comminute or cannot be comminuted at all, and which cannot be estimated.
It is therefore an aspect of the invention to provide a method and an installation whereby the comminution process is optimized by providing control means and, in addition, through constructive modifications of the geometry.
The method utilizes using a supply device for the scrap material to be comminuted, a comminution machine with at least one motor-driven rotor, horizontally supported in a housing having an ejection door and including comminution tools and a drive means. Further, the method utilizes means for controlling the power and means for protecting the installation from scrap material that is difficult to comminute or cannot be comminuted at all. For that data values of the motor output, speed of rotations of the rotor, the motor temperature and motor bearing temperature and/or the height of the scrap material flow which is supplied to the comminution machine, is inputted in a controller and used for controlling/regulating the supply of the scrap material. Technical means are provided in the region of the housing for ejecting the coarse, heavy or hard parts. Accordingly, the installation for carrying out the method includes a supply device, a comminution machine with at least one motor-driven rotor, horizontally supported in a housing. It further includes an inlet and an outlet for the material to be comminuted, comminution tools, drive means, control means and means for protecting the installation as well as an ejection door for ejecting coarse, heavy or hard parts. A controller controls/regulates the supply device. A measuring element interacts with the housing and the controller, and is connected to the measuring element for ejecting coarse, heavy or hard parts.
Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are intended solely for purposes of illustration and not as a definition of the limits of the invention, for which reference should be made to the appended claims.